


Keep Your Enemies Closer

by Boogum



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Awkward Romance, F/M, Handcuffed Together, Has Fun With Tropes and Cliches, Humor, Ninjas - Freeform, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 18:01:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16289243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Boogum/pseuds/Boogum
Summary: Katara just wanted to escape the ninjas with all her limbs intact. Too bad she'd gained an extra in the form of a grumpy firebender. Handcuffs are a pain, especially when your enemy looks this good shirtless.





	1. Chapter 1

Pissing off pirates had been a bad idea. Pissing off ninjas was a whole new level of unfortunate.

"Get her!" one of the masked figures yelled.

Katara ducked the knife that was thrown at her and kept running. Geez, these guys were persistent. All she had done was accidentally stumble across them while taking a walk. Oh, and stopped them from assassinating some rich noble. You know, the usual. She might have turned a few of them into icicles as well, but still. This as a huge overreaction.

"She's getting away!"

Smoke ballooned in front of her eyes and created a thick screen. She couldn't see. Katara coughed and covered her nose and mouth, feeling the acrid sting of a nasty concoction getting to her airways. Ugh, her body was going numb.

"I won't give up!" Katara swore.

Summoning her last bit of water, she let out a scream of rage and released her element in a wild attack that would strike anything within a three metre radius. A few cries of pain told her she had hit her mark.

Katara smiled. "Serves you—"

Something jabbed into her back, striking in precise points. Her eyes widened and then she went limp, collapsing to the ground. A second later the world had gone black.

oOo

Katara groaned. There was a funny taste in her mouth and her body felt heavy and like it wasn't quite in sync with her brain. Something cold and hard was wrapped around her wrist. She tried moving it and heard the distinct rattle of chains.

Groaning again, she forced her eyes open and blinked. It was dark. The room she was trapped in was small with no door or windows. There was only an open hatch in the roof. The ninjas must have thrown her into this pit-like cell. No wonder she felt bruised and sore. More horrible, they had taken her water flasks and even stripped her to her undergarments. Her skin crawled just at the thought.

Katara sat up to get a better look at the pit. Her left hand was tugged back by a dead weight. She glanced to the left and saw a shadowed, human-like figure slumped next to her. It seemed the chain around her wrist was actually handcuffs, and one of the cuffs was attached to the other person. Like her, the boy—for only a male could have a chest that flat—had been stripped down to his undergarments.

"Hey." Katara leaned closer to the boy. "You okay?"

He didn't respond. She poked him in the arm and, when that didn't work, gave him a firm shake. The boy made a soft sound and murmured something. It sounded like he had just told his uncle to go away.

"I'm not your uncle," Katara felt the need to point out.

The boy sat up in a rush, even as his right hand moved to grab at something over his shoulder. Except, of course, there was nothing there. Also, she was attached to that wrist, and she had not been prepared for his rapid movement. In short, she lost her balance and ended up in his lap. Very provocatively, at that. His body tensed. Her cheeks flamed.

"U-um," she began. Her free hand was still pressed against his bare chest. She quickly removed it as if burnt. "Sorry, I—"

Katara froze. She had finally dared to raise her eyes to his face. Though it was dark in the pit, she was close enough now to make out his features. One side was smooth and angular—dare she say handsome—while the other was a mess of scarred tissue. Her eyes widened.

"You!" she exclaimed.

Zuko just scowled at her. "Can you get off?"

She blinked. It occurred to her that she was still sprawled on his lap. His hands were clenched at his sides, as if he wanted to push her off but couldn't bring himself to touch her. Geez, did he think she was diseased or something?

"You're the one who made me lose my balance," she muttered.

Nevertheless, she swiftly detached herself from him. He let out a breath as soon as their bodies were no longer touching. Katara didn't know why she found his relief so irritating. It wasn't like she had wanted to be close to him. Even if his body had felt rather nice. So toned and—

Wait, what?

Her blush darkened. She quickly looked the other way. "Why are you even here?" she demanded. "Shouldn't you be off doing evil jerk things?"

His eyebrow rose a fraction. "Evil jerk things?"

Katara bit her lip. Spirits, she had been around Sokka too much. "You know what I meant!" she snapped. "You're the prince of the Fire Nation. What are you doing in Ba Sing Se, let alone in this prison?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Shouldn't you be with the Avatar and your loudmouth brother?"

"We split up," Katara said haughtily. "I chose to stay in Ba Sing Se."

She tried to fold her arms but, of course, Zuko's wrist came with the cuff. His hand brushed her boob before either of them could react. There was an awkward silence.

"That was not intentional," Zuko said in a strangled voice.

It was hard to tell with the lighting, but his unscarred cheek looked a bit pink. Katara opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water, too embarrassed to speak. Much as she wanted to rant at him, she knew the boob grope really was just an accident. Best to change the subject.

"A-anyway," she stammered, "you still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?"

Zuko shifted into a more comfortable position. "Why should I tell you?"

She pursed her lips. "Fine. I bet you were just hunting Aang anyway."

"Well, what did you do to end up here?" he retorted. "Steal another waterbending scroll?"

"Of course not! I stopped those ninjas from killing a guy." She poked him in the chest. "Besides, if we're to talk of stealing, you're the one who stole my mother's necklace!"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I didn't steal your necklace. I just picked it up because I recognised it as yours."

"Yeah, and then you kidnapped me and tried to use the necklace as a bargaining tool to make me sell out Aang." She glared at him. "You're a horrible person."

He didn't respond, though the tightness of his jaw suggested he was clenching his teeth.

Katara huffed and leaned back against the wall. This was so frustrating. Of all the people to be handcuffed to, why did it have to be him?

"I don't believe this," she muttered.

Zuko ignored her. They stayed this way in silence for a while, both careful not to move too much or touch each other. Katara's stomach gave a low growl. She tensed, far too conscious of the sound when her enemy (who did not look nice without a shirt) was right next to her. It was kind of embarrassing.

"How long are they going to keep us in this pit?" she complained.

She was bored and hungry. She was also worried about Momo. The lemur had not been with her when she had got captured.

Zuko played with a loose pebble. "Those ninjas are probably deciding what to do with us. We were both captured in the Upper Ring, so they will assume we are important people. That's the only reason we aren't dead yet."

"You don't sound too concerned."

"I don't plan on dying," he said frankly.

She brought her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs with the arm that wasn't cuffed to Zuko. "Well, I don't plan on dying either."

He was quiet for a moment. "So, how about a truce?"

She paused. Her gaze flickered to his face. "What kind of truce?"

Zuko lifted their cuffed wrists. "We're stuck together anyway, so even if I wanted to, I can't escape without you." His eyes locked with hers. "If we work together, we can get out of this place." He shrugged. "Do what you want after that. I need to find my uncle."

She considered the matter. On the one hand, it meant cooperating with the angry jerk who had chased her and her friends all over the world. On the other, she needed his help if she wanted to get out of this pit.

"Okay," she agreed. "Let's work together for now."

Zuko nodded and then asked her if she had any weapons on her that the ninjas had missed or even something small and thin like a hairpin. Katara raised her eyebrow and gestured at the white wrappings that covered her otherwise naked body.

"Does it look like I have anything?" she demanded.

Zuko's gaze swept over her, pausing on her chest. Katara's cheeks warmed. It was obvious he was assessing whether she could hide something in her cleavage.

"Stop staring!" she snapped, clamping her free arm over her breasts.

Zuko blinked. "You're the one who told me t—"

"I didn't mean literally!" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Geez, are you an idiot?"

Zuko had the grace to blush. "Alright, so you have nothing," he said, quickly changing the subject. "My weapons were taken as well, so that rules out picking the lock on the handcuffs."

"What about bending?" Her eyes lit up as she got an idea. "I don't have any water I can use, but maybe with fire—"

"It won't work." Zuko touched the handcuff on his wrist. "This is a special metal designed to subdue firebenders. The amount of heat it would take to weaken the metal would do more damage to us."

She sighed. "Then what do we do?"

Zuko fell quiet. He seemed to be examining the walls. "Stand up," he said suddenly.

"Huh?"

He got to his feet, tugging on her arm in the process. She had no choice but to stand. With a few more tugs, he got her to move to the centre of the pit with him. Zuko's brow furrowed as he stared at the walls and then up to the open hatch.

"It could work," he murmured.

"What could—"

Zuko gripped her shoulders. "Do you think you could climb this wall?"

She blinked. His hands were big and warm on her bare skin. It was distracting. "U-uh—"

"Can you or can't you?"

Katara pulled herself together. "Maybe with my bending, but I've got no water. Plus, we're handcuffed together and there's nothing for me to grab onto. I don't see how anyone could."

Zuko took this in his stride. "The fact we're handcuffed doesn't matter. If you need a foothold to get started, we can work around that. Here—"

He turned her around and linked his non-cuffed arm with her from behind. Since he could not link with her other arm, he simply held her hand and pulled her close to him, locking their arms in place as much as possible. Now their backs were pressed together. She couldn't help but note that his back was very broad compared to hers.

"Okay, push against me and step onto the wall," he ordered.

Heat rose to Katara's cheeks. "What?"

"Just do it!"

Katara swallowed and put all of her weight onto Zuko's back. Carefully, she stepped onto the wall. Sure enough, she stayed in place.

"It worked," she said in surprise.

"By using our bodies as an anchor, we can walk up the wall like this and escape," Zuko explained. "We have to be in sync, though."

A few creases formed on Katara's brow. "What happens when we get to the top? Won't we just get stuck and not be able to climb out?"

Zuko went quiet.

"Well?"

"I'm thinking," he snapped.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Geez, you didn't even think that plan through."

"It would work. All it takes is timing and good reflexes." He paused. "But you could be right that this isn't the best method for you. You're a lot smaller than me, and an unbalanced weight will only make it harder once we get to the top."

"Then that's the end of that." Katara stepped off the wall and unlinked herself from him. "Let's think of a new plan."

Zuko didn't complain and went back to staring at the walls. Katara focussed on the square of light above them. She wondered if it would be best for them to just wait until the ninjas brought them out of the pit. They'd have a better chance of escaping that way. Then again, what if no one ever came? There had been no sound from outside the pit. It was entirely possible that she and Zuko had been abandoned.

"I could carry you," he said after a moment.

She blinked. "What?"

"I can climb the wall on my own," he elaborated. "You're light, so it shouldn't be an issue."

"But there are no footholds."

His mouth curved upwards. "Like that's going to stop me."

Something fluttered in her stomach. That cocky smile was dangerous. So dangerous, in fact, that she quickly listed in her mind all the horrible things she could think of about him. Those little prickles of attraction stirring inside her were not allowed to blossom. Reminding herself that he was nothing but a big jerk seemed a good way to nip all positive feelings in the bud.

Katara stared at the open hatch. "You can really climb up there?"

He nodded.

She let out a breath. It wasn't like she had a choice. "Fine. I'll let you carry me."

Zuko shifted on his feet, suddenly embarrassed. "Uh, but I'm going to need both my hands, so you'll have to keep hold of me yourself."

In other words, she would have to ride piggyback. Her face warmed at the thought. They were about to get very close, and neither of them was wearing nearly enough clothes. Oh spirits. This was going to be awkward.

Zuko turned the other way and crouched so that she could easily get on. She swallowed and stared at his bare back. The toned muscle was visible, even though his build was more slender than bulky. It was hard for her not to feel flustered. Aang and Sokka, the only other boys she had seen shirtless, were so scrawny in comparison.

"What are you waiting for?" Zuko asked.

She flushed and bit her lip. Tentatively, she curled her free arm around his neck and then pressed herself close, wrapping her legs around his waist. It was a shock of skin on skin. He was warm and soft to touch, but there was something unrelentingly firm about his body. Her curves had to mould to him. It made her hyperaware of her breasts—of every hint of femininity that she possessed. The fluttery wings started back up in her stomach.

"You good?" he asked.

"Yeah," Katara managed to say.

It was incredibly hard to stay focussed. Even replaying through her list of all the horrible things Zuko had done didn't help. He was too close. She tried to put more space between them. It was the only way to stop her from thinking stupid thoughts, like how, for an angry jerk, he actually had one hell of a body.

Zuko stood to his full height. The movement was faster than she had anticipated. She slipped and almost lost her hold. His hands gripped her thighs and pushed her back into position. Heat sparked through her blood from the contact.

"You're going to have to hold onto me tighter than that," he said bluntly. "I won't be able to help once I start climbing."

"Sorry," Katara mumbled.

She was glad he could not see her face. Her blush would put the setting sun to shame. With no other choice, she pressed herself even closer to him, clinging onto his back like a koala-cat wrapped tight around a tree. He let go of her thighs, but her heart continued to race, pounding against her ribcage so that her whole body seemed to throb to the beat. She hoped he could not feel it.

"Ready?" he asked.

Katara made a small sound of affirmation. She felt shy and off her game. It was frustrating. Her only consolation was that Zuko didn't seem to be faring any better. His voice might sound neutral, but the blushes she had seen on his cheeks and his quickened heart beat couldn't lie.

He inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to prepare himself for whatever he was about to do in order to climb the wall. That made her nervous for quite a different reason. There were no footholds within reach. Just what the heck was he planning?

Suddenly, he was running—straight at the wall. She let out an undignified squeak, but the collision never happened. Instead, they were moving vertically, up and up and up, and then his fingers dug into the slight groove in the stone. He barely paused before he pushed down with his feet, propelling them up again to the next foothold. Katara could only cling to him. Her heart felt like it had got lodged somewhere in her throat. This was insane. He was insane. She had no idea how he had even managed to spot the indentations in the wall.

The square of light got closer. Zuko jumped and half-climbed, half-ran his way up the wall, timing each movement with precision. It was like being carried by a spider-monkey. She didn't even have time to panic properly. He moved so fast that all she could comprehend was a blur of stone and the sheer power of his body. Who knew he'd been hiding that much agility and strength?

Zuko thrust them up towards the opening with one last boost. For a moment she felt as if she was floating—until gravity kicked in. Then it was just scary. Her eyes widened, and a fluttery, plummeting sensation assailed her stomach. She was so sure they were going to fall. Any moment now the descent would begin, but then he latched onto the edge of the hatch. A grunt escaped his lips. No doubt her added weight had worsened the impact.

Muscles straining, he pulled them both up the rest of the way and stumbled to his knees. Katara could feel his heart racing against her palm. His chest rose and fell quickly. She wasn't sure if it was from adrenaline or if, despite how effortless he had made their ascent appear, climbing up with her had actually taken more out of him than she had realised.

Katara slid off him. "I can't believe you just did that. Are you even human?"

Zuko laughed. The sound was so normal—and, hence, so unlike him—that it made her blink. "There's nothing special about climbing a wall."

She begged to differ. What he had done was more impressive than she cared to admit—especially since he had carried her the whole way. It was kind of annoying, actually. She was practically useless without her bending, but it seemed like he was just as dangerous without his, if not more so.

"Come on," Zuko said, getting to his feet. "We should get out of here while we have the chance."

"I need my stuff."

He tugged on the handcuff, pulling her forward. "Forget it."

Katara dug her heels in. "You don't understand. They've got my mother's necklace and the vial of Spirit Oasis water that Master Pakku gave me. I can't leave without those things."

Zuko made a tsking sound. "You realise that neither of us is in any condition to fight those guys, right?"

She raised her chin. "It doesn't matter. I'm not leaving."

His eyes narrowed. They both knew that he could not leave without her, since they were still handcuffed together. Something about the slight twist of his mouth made her feel like he was contemplating just picking her up and carrying her out with him, but then he sighed.

"Fine," he said. "I'll help you find your stuff, but you have to listen to everything I say. Got it? If I tell you to run, you run. If I tell you to shut up, you shut up."

Katara puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "Who died and made you leader?"

He leaned in close. "This is the only way I will help you, waterbender. We're at a disadvantage right now, but I at least have some experience with getting through guarded areas without being seen. So, either you do what I say or I will make you leave without your precious belongings, because I don't plan on getting stuck in that pit again."

She exhaled. "Alright. If you say you know what you're doing, then lead away."

It wasn't like it would make a difference to her in the long-run. All she cared about was getting her stuff back from those thieving ninjas.

Zuko turned without a word, only to stop abruptly. Katara saw why a second later. She had finally taken in their surroundings, and it was obvious from a glance that they were no longer in Ba Sing Se. There were no grand buildings, no train lines or walls to represent the different rings. There was only the raised platform that she and Zuko were standing on and a fortress that had been designed to blend into the trees.

Katara repressed a groan. This was not good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can guess, there ain't anything serious going on in this story. In fact, you could probably play a drinking game with all the Zutara clichés I have thrown in. Shirtless Zuko and scantily clad Katara? Check! Accidental groping and falling on each other in provocative ways? Check, check! Katara getting flustered cause 'omg Zuko is so hawt!1eleven!' Check.
> 
> So, yeah, do not read this fic and expect a plot full of substance. Do expect more clichés and silliness. It's my jam.


	2. Chapter 2

Katara's heart pounded. She was currently squished against Zuko in a small alcove. His breath fanned her neck. She could feel his chest rising and falling against her own. He was far, far too close, but moving was out of the question. Some of the men who had captured her were sitting around a table not far from her and Zuko's hiding place. One sound, one wrong movement and they would be discovered.

"Pass me the wine, would you?" one of the men said.

Someone made a tsking noise. "You shouldn't be drinking, Fox. You're still on guard duty."

"Eh, those brats are stuck in the pit," Fox responded. "It's not like they're going anywhere. Besides, I'm celebrating the success of our mission."

Katara tensed. Did they return to kill that old guy after capturing her then?

"Don't get too complacent, Fox," another man said. "It's been easier with Long Feng gone and the Dai Li no longer breathing down our necks, but those 'two brats', as you called them, almost had us tonight. We can't afford to mess up now. Hurry and get back to your post."

Fox sighed. There was the sound of a cup clinking against the table. "Alright, alright, I'm heading back."

Wood scraped against wood. Footsteps came closer to Katara and Zuko's hiding spot. She swallowed and shifted in panic. Zuko's arm tightened around her waist, holding her in place. Their eyes met.

 _"Stay still,"_ he silently commanded.

Katara held his gaze. A shadow passed over them, but there was no pause in the footsteps. Fox had not noticed their presence. She let out a small breath. Zuko's hold relaxed. For now, they were safe.

The men at the table continued talking and showed no sign of going anywhere. Now, she got nervous for quite a different reason. That Fox guy was going back to the pit. There was obviously no one inside said pit. If she and Zuko didn't get her stuff soon and escape, they were going to find themselves with a lot of angry ninjas after them again.

Warm breath brushed her ear, sending a shiver down her spine that had nothing to do with the temperature of the room. "Can you bend their drinks?" Zuko whispered.

Her heart stuttered in her chest. H-his lips had touched her ear. Too close! Way, way too close! She edged her head back to put more distance between them. Zuko simply raised his eyebrow.

 _"Well?"_ he seemed to say. _"What are you waiting for?"_

She gritted her teeth. It was annoying that she seemed to be the only one getting flustered. At least back in the pit Zuko had still blushed and got awkward. Now, it was like sneaking through the ninjas' hideout had put him into Professional Mode. He touched her without a second thought, tugging her this way and that to get her to move where he wanted. Heck, he'd practically kissed her ear just then. Even their current situation was because of him; one moment they'd been walking and then he'd pulled her flush against his body, forcing her with him into the alcove.

Her cheeks burned. Spirits, just thinking about it made her feel like she had burning imprints of his hands all over her. That jerk. Just who did he think he was touching and getting close to her as he liked?

She glowered at him, but his expression remained one of impatience. Repressing a huff (because that really would get them in trouble), she tried her best to shift in the non-existent space so that she could see the men at the table. Zuko helped her as much as he could, though she still ended up squished against him. His chest was like a wall against her back, firm and warm. One of his arms was still wrapped around her waist, and she didn't even want to think about where her butt was pressed. It was like they were spooning. Ugh. If he'd been wearing more clothes, at least there would have been some extra fabric there to act as padding to stop her from feeling so much boy all up in her business.

(Though, now that she about it, at least he had not done a Jet and, ahem, _nudged_ her in greeting while he was at it. Now that had been too much boy up in her business.)

Katara exhaled as quietly as she could and forced herself to calm down. She had to concentrate if she wanted to bend something that wasn't straight water. Carefully, she stretched out with her senses and took hold of the liquid in the jug. She flexed her fingers, but the rice wine didn't stir.

Zuko's breath brushed her ear again. "Something wrong?"

More shivers travelled down her spine. She swallowed and elbowed him in the ribs to make him back off a bit. Geez, he was distracting.

Focus, she scolded herself.

She stared at the jug. Or, rather, tried to drill holes into it with her eyes. She could feel the water, but it simply wouldn't respond to her. It was like her bending had become useless, just like that time when the Pink Nightmare had got her in Omashu.

Wait. Now that she thought about it, one of those ninjas had hit her in a similar way.

Katara slumped against Zuko's chest, not even caring that she had initiated the contact. "I can't bend," she whispered in defeat.

"What do you mean?"

"One of those guys hit me in a weird way before I got captured. Or I suppose it could have been something in the paralysis drug." She clenched her hands into fists. "Either way, I can't bend."

Zuko let out a tiny breath. "Can you still fight?"

She shrugged. She'd never really tried. All bending drew upon martial arts in some way or another to create the different forms. Thanks to Master Pakku, she at least knew combative waterbending. That gave her something to work with, but whether it would be enough to stop a couple of highly trained ninjas was another question entirely.

Zuko squeezed her wrist in what might have been a reassuring gesture. His lips brushed her ear once more. "Just follow my lead."

She barely had time to react before he was tugging her with him out of the alcove. He moved swiftly and grabbed the man wearing the frog mask in a headlock, but the black-garbed ninja twisted away before Zuko could get a good grip. The other man, this one wearing a racoon mask, rose to his feet in an instant.

"You—" Racoon began.

Zuko kicked the vacated stool at the man, hitting him hard in the shins. Without pausing, he pushed down on Katara's back, lowering her with him as Frog fired off a few shuriken. Phew. That had been close. Not that Zuko stopped to celebrate. Still in motion, he tugged her close to him and then released something from his fingers with his free hand. It was a tiny ball. There was a small "chink" as the ball hit the ground. Smoke exploded like a cloud from the impact, casting a thick veil over the room.

Katara blinked. "W-what the—mmph."

A hand clamped over her mouth. Zuko's. The next second he had scooped her up with one arm and was running. Someone grabbed at her leg. She kicked hard and felt the satisfaction of having her foot connect with a man's skull. Oh yeah, point to her! Zuko placed her back down, though she couldn't see what he was doing; she could only hear grunts and felt a few tugs on her wrist as he moved. A particularly hard yank jerked her down, almost making her face plant the ground. The smoke cleared to reveal Zuko pinning Frog against the straw-covered floor with his knee and palm. In his free hand, he held a shuriken to Frog's throat. Racoon was out cold not far from them.

"Where did you put our belongings?" Zuko demanded.

Frog laughed. "It'd be a waste of time to even tell you. You're never getting out of this place. You'll be dead before you can step foot outside."

Zuko responded by knocking the man out.

"H-hey!" Katara exclaimed. "Why did you do that? He could have—"

"He wasn't going to talk," Zuko said simply. "I know his type; he would have just stalled us until the alarm got sounded. What's important right now is for us to get out of here."

"But—"

"I haven't forgotten." Zuko scanned their surroundings. "We'll get your necklace back, so don't worry. Our stuff is probably being kept in this room anyway."

She pursed her lips. "How can you possibly know that?"

"Logic. That guy in the frog mask seemed of a higher rank than the others and this looks like the main meeting room for the hideout." He met her gaze. "If you captured two prisoners, where are you likely to take their belongings?"

Katara had no response. She had thought he would do a Sokka and say something dumb about male instincts, but his explanation actually made sense. How annoying.

"Why didn't you bend before?" she asked instead. "You could have taken those guys down easily, yet you chose to fight with your fists." A crease furrowed her brow. "Did you get hit with those weird jabs as well? Why didn't you say anything before?"

"It's called chi blocking," he responded, turning back to Frog and rifling through the man's pockets. "And, no, I didn't get hit. It's just better for me not to bend at the moment."

"Why?"

He glanced at her over his shoulder. "Why so interested? It's not like it has anything to do with you."

"Well, I, um—"

"You wanted to get your necklace and that Spirit Water thing back, right?" he interrupted flatly. "Then focus on that. We're just wasting time here talking."

Katara sucked in a breath. Spirits, he was so aggravating. It was like he was suggesting she was actually interested in him. As if. She'd just wondered why he hadn't used his bending. There was nothing strange about her curiosity; he'd always been so quick to shoot off fireballs before.

Actually, maybe that was the issue. He'd always been so upfront and confrontational during their previous encounters, but she didn't know what to make of this sneaky panther-shark Zuko who climbed walls like a monkey-cat and blended into the shadows as if it was his natural habitat. He was quick, too. She was pretty sure he had snatched that smoke bomb from Frog when he'd momentarily got the guy in a headlock. And he tried to say he wasn't a thief.

"Looks like the frog mask guy doesn't have anything," Zuko muttered, getting back to his feet. "Help me check the room."

Thanks to the handcuffs, she found herself dragged along before she could even respond. Her eyes narrowed on his back.

"Could you stop trying to pull my wrist off?" she muttered. "I'm the one getting tugged around everywhere, you know."

"Then stop being so slow."

Katara opened and closed her mouth in outrage. "Slow? I'm—"

"Look, waterbender." He turned to her with a flat expression. "I'm only doing this because you insisted. If you don't like it, we can leave right now. I won't complain."

She swallowed. "Fine," she said with barely concealed frustration. "Let's just keep searching."

Zuko nodded and headed for a chest tucked away in the corner of the room. Katara couldn't help but note that he hadn't dragged her with the handcuff that time. Huh. For all his mean words and attitude, maybe he had actually taken her complaint to heart. Some of the irritation faded from her eyes. She left him to the chest and decided to search the shelf next to her.

"I knew it," Zuko said in satisfaction.

She blinked and saw him holding up two necklaces: one was the choker that belonged to her mother while the other was the vial of Spirit Oasis water that Master Pakku had given her. Katara's mouth split into a grin.

"Finally," she said in relief.

Zuko moved to stand behind her. "Here."

Before she could react, he pushed her plait to the side, fingers brushing against her skin. Her stomach fluttered. This was an awful lot like that time he'd tied her to a tree, except this time he didn't taunt her as he tied the choker around her throat. A second later, the vial of Spirit Oasis water had joined the pendant.

Zuko stepped back. "Alright, I've got our clothes." He slung a bag over his shoulder. "Let's get out of here."

Katara touched the pendant hanging from her neck. It was such a comforting weight. "Since we're here, shouldn't we look for the key to the handcuffs so—"

A bell clanged from the direction of the pit. Her eyes widened. That sounded like an alarm. Zuko swore and yanked her with him out of the room. This time, Katara didn't complain. Much as she wanted to get out of the handcuffs, escaping from the ninjas' hideout was top priority.

They ran together through the corridors, trying their best not to be seen. It was easier said than done. Black-garbed figures wearing masks appeared from out of nowhere. It also didn't help that Zuko and Katara had their own ideas about where they should be going.

"What are you doing?" Zuko snapped, suddenly getting jerked with her to the right. "Go left! Left!"

"How am I supposed to know you wanted to go left?" Katara retorted, ducking a shuriken. "I'm not a mind reader!"

A ninja jumped down in front of them and swung a sword. Zuko sidestepped to the left while Katara, again, tried to go right. The handcuffs tightened between them. Both got jolted to a halt. Zuko hissed something that rhymed with "duck", then threw his arm around her waist, pulling her with him to the ground. Her back made impact with a bruising thud. Zuko rolled with her, even as the sword clanged against the ground inches from where they had been standing. She inhaled a shaky breath. That had been too close.

Zuko quickly scrambled off her, latching his fingers around her wrist to pull her up with him in one tug. The ninja came for them again with the sword, but this time the two benders were ready. It was like they had fallen into sync. Zuko used the bag of their clothes to catch and toss away the sword, then Katara followed up with a knee to the man's midriff. The ninja grunted and stumbled back, which was perfect for Zuko, who finished him off with a powerful uppercut.

"Nice," Katara said, momentarily forgetting how much she disliked the firebender.

Zuko slung the bag of clothes back over his shoulder and picked up the sword, testing the balance. He seemed to approve, because he took a firmer grip on the hilt and urged her to keep running. They weren't out of the fire yet. She didn't argue.

"Where to now?" she asked.

"Head for the waterway. We should be able to sneak out from there."

"Got it!"

They rounded a corner and skidded to a halt. There was a wall of masked figures in front of them. Three more jumped down from the roof behind them. Katara's stomach plummeted. They had been surrounded.

Zuko's fingers interlaced with her own. "Stay close."

He stepped forward and threw—quite literally threw—the sword at the wall of ninjas with all of his strength. The men were forced to scatter, but the three behind Zuko and Katara retaliated quickly. She gasped in pain. Blood trickled down her arm from where a throwing star had sliced the skin open. No time to stop and check the damage. Zuko was already pulling her forward.

"Close your eyes," he warned her.

"Huh?"

He threw something at the ground. A shock of white burst forth as the thing made impact and then he clamped his hand over her eyes. Even then, light burned behind her eyelids and the cover of his palm. It was so bright.

"Move!"

His voice was a hiss in her ear. She didn't need telling twice and ran with him, trusting in his touch to guide her. Maybe it should have worried her that she was relying on him so much, but the adrenaline was drowning out any logical objections. For now, Zuko was her ally. The certainty he showed in every action made her instinctively believe that he could get her out safely.

"They're getting away!" someone yelled.

Katara stumbled, but Zuko was there to help her regain her balance. Together, they sprinted down corridors, dodging ninjas and trying their best not to get captured again. There was no way to get to the waterway now. Maybe the ninjas had caught onto their plan, as the black-garbed men seemed determined to block the path; stealth was their thing after all. Not that Zuko was perturbed.

"Get ready to jump," he told her.

"Jump?" Her eyes widened. "Wait a minute, what—"

Zuko tightened his grip on her hand and headed for the open balcony. Her eyes widened. He didn't even know what was below. Was he insane? She chanced a glance at the prince, but his expression was grim and focussed. Behind them, the ninjas were regathering. A few projectile weapons came dangerously close.

_Guess we have no choice._

Katara sucked in a breath and jumped with him over the banister. Gravity kicked in hard. There was nothing below to break their fall. Her stomach plummeted and lurched. The ground was rushing towards them, but then Zuko's arm wrapped around her, cradling her into the curve of his body. He forced her to roll with him as they made contact. She got a few scrapes and bruises, but he had taken the brunt of the impact.

Something flickered from above. Her eyes widened and she quickly grabbed Zuko, who had been getting his feet, and heaved him back towards her. Spiked projectiles flew past in a direct line where his head would have been. Geez, that could have killed him!

Katara exhaled, only to freeze when she noticed the position of her hand. She had grabbed Zuko's butt. Not just a light hold either; in her desperation to pull him to safety, she had got a good, solid grip on his undergarments—and, in the process—had managed to cop a feel.

And what a feel it was. Prince Zuko definitely worked out.

Heat flooded her cheeks. She released him as if burnt, but Zuko either hadn't noticed or simply chose not to acknowledge that she had been acting like a perverted creeper. He was already tugging her to stand up with him, and then they were running again. Katara would have sighed in relief had the ninjas not still been chasing them. Some of the black-garbed men had even followed them over the balcony. Damn it. Escaping from crazy people who jumped and climbed around like spider-monkeys was not fun.

"This is never ending," she complained.

"It's your fault we're in this mess in the first place!" Zuko snapped.

"My fault?"

"I told you we should have escaped when we had the chance!" He swore under his breath. "I should have never let myself be swayed by you."

Katara didn't have a response for that, but then Zuko hadn't expected anything. He ordered her to close her eyes and tossed another flash bomb behind them. It wasn't as effective since they were outside, but it at least gave them enough cover to climb over the wall. Now they just had to lose the ninjas in the forest.

"That was the last flash bomb," Zuko told her. "It's over if we get surrounded again."

"Why don't you just bend? They might be skilled fighters, but—"

His grip tightened on her hand in agitation. "That's not an option."

"But—"

Zuko opened his mouth to retort when the ground suddenly rumbled underneath them. Instinctively, they grabbed at each other to maintain their balance. It was like an earthquake.

"What the hell is going on?" he muttered.

A hole suddenly appeared in the ground in front of them. A man wearing green robes appeared, travelling up on a lift made of moving earth. His face was shrouded by a conical hat.

"Going so soon?" the man taunted.

His voice was smooth and warm like honey. It was the kind of voice that invited people to draw closer, though his intentions were anything but sweet.

"Who are you?" Katara demanded.

The man raised his face to reveal a dragon mask. "My name doesn't matter. All you need to know is that this is the end for you. Can't have you escaping and blabbing all our secrets now, can I?"

Katara gritted her teeth. If only she could bend. If only she could do something.

Zuko stepped forward. "Sorry, but I don't plan on going back to that pit."

The man—no, the earthbender—laughed. "What do you intend to do? You have no weapons and neither of you can fight at your full potential while handcuffed like that."

"It doesn't matter." Zuko's expression was grim. "I never give up without a fight."

Dragon cocked his head to the side. "Interesting. Then show me how you plan to stop me, Blue Spirit, because I will not let you leave this place."

Katara blinked. Blue Spirit? Wasn't that the warrior who was wanted by the Fire Nation and who had rescued Aang from Pohuai Stronghold? That was Zuko?

The prince sprang into action. He let go of Katara's hands and brought his fists together, unleashing a fireball straight at Dragon. Without pausing to see if the flames made contact, he yanked on the handcuffs and dragged Katara towards the trees.

"Run, run run!" he ordered.

Katara tried her best to keep up with his longer strides. "W-what just happened? Your flames, they—"

"Shut up and run!"

She swallowed and quickened her pace. If her suspicions were correct, it now made sense why he had said firebending was not an option. That fireball he had shot at Dragon had been the smallest, most pathetically weak thing she had ever seen him create.

The ground started rumbling again. Dragon was in pursuit, having got over the shock of having fire bent at him. Zuko cursed. He shot off a few more fireballs over his shoulder, using the flames more as a distraction than anything else. Katara suddenly felt a deep tugging sensation in her gut. Water was nearby. A lot of water.

"This way!" she said, tugging him in the direction.

Zuko let her lead. They had to dodge a few attacks from Dragon and just barely escaped getting trapped in rock. Eventually, they broke free of the trees and came up against a river. Katara pulled him into the water with her, going deeper and deeper until they were hidden completely. A few seconds later Dragon emerged from the trees.

Katara held her breath. The water invigorated her body, but she still couldn't use it to bend. Making a stand here was not an option. All she could do was clutch Zuko's hand and let the current pull them further down the river, hoping that Dragon would not find them. It was hard to tell what the earthbender was doing; the water muffled sound from the outside, and it was too murky to see onto the shore.

Slabs of earth suddenly started erupting from the riverbed. Dragon must have guessed they had fled into the water and was now trying to attack them at random or at least draw them out using the earth at the bottom. Unfortunately, one of the slabs caught Zuko on the head. Bubbles gushed forth as he was shocked into opening his mouth. His eyes rolled back into his head and he went limp, becoming a dead weight on her wrist.

Katara panicked. Zuko had just been knocked unconscious and Dragon was still out there trying to kill them. She tried to bend out of sheer desperation, but the water just continued to rush along. Actually, now that she thought about it, the current seemed to be getting stronger. She realised why when they started falling; they had just passed over a waterfall.

Repressing a scream, Katara locked her legs around Zuko and kept him close to her, trying her best to fall in a way so that they would not hit any rocks. They plunged into the water. Pain slammed into her nerves from the impact, as if she had just collided with stone. Down they went, forced deeper and deeper. Katara unlocked her legs from Zuko and started kicking, trying to get back to the surface. It was hard since Zuko was just a dead weight and the current was strong.

 _Come on_ , she urged. _Just a bit more._

Her head broke the surface and she gasped for air. Using her free arm, she dragged Zuko up and cradled his face above the water. He was still unconscious. Blood dribbled free from the wound on his head.

"Not good," she muttered.

Damn it, this would be so much easier if she could bend. She took a firmer grip on his slippery body and swam to shore. By the time she had dragged him onto the bank, she was utterly exhausted. The water had helped to carry some of his weight, but it wasn't exactly easy to swim while handcuffed to him—especially not after all that fighting and running.

"Hey," Katara said, tapping his cheek. "Wake up."

Zuko didn't move. A chill crept down her spine. His chest wasn't moving. Spirits, he wasn't _breathing._

She hesitated only a moment before getting him into position. Just as Gran-Gran had taught her, she pushed down on the centre of his chest and then tilted his head back. She pinched his nose with her free hand and covered his mouth with hers, blowing air until his chest rose. Still no response. She had just started to give him a second breath when he suddenly lurched, coughing up water.

"You okay?" Katara asked.

His golden eyes blinked into focus. She was still leaning over him, not even trying to hide the concern in her eyes. Zuko glanced around the clearing, then back at her face.

"You saved me?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

She nodded. "I didn't feel like carrying a dead body around with me," she added cheekily.

His gaze focussed on her lips. A faint splotch of colour formed on his unscarred cheek, and he covered his mouth in an oddly shy, confused sort of gesture. Katara felt her own face warm at the sight. Right. He had become conscious while she had been giving him mouth to mouth. She hadn't thought about it much at the time, too scared that he might die on her, but now it occurred to her what it must have looked like to him.

Katara's blush darkened. "Stop looking at me like I just stole your maidenly virtue," she snapped. "I just did what was necessary. It's not like I actually kissed you."

Zuko let his hand fall back to his lap. "I know that," he retorted, averting his face. "You just surprised me, that's all."

"W-well, just so long as you know there wasn't anything behind it."

Zuko changed the subject. He asked what had happened to Dragon. She shrugged and said that they'd lost him when they fell down the waterfall.

"We lost the bag of clothes as well," she added. "It must have got dragged away with the current."

Zuko sighed and covered his face with his hand. "Perfect."

Katara bit her lip. This was a real mess. She found it hard to meet his eyes as well. Damn him for making her feel awkward about giving him mouth to mouth. The sooner her bending returned and they could break out of these handcuffs, the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, Katara and Zuko finally escape the ninjas. Of course, they are still handcuffed together and have no proper clothes (lol). We also get a tiny glimpse of plot in this chapter. You might have to squint, but it's there hidden amongst all the "zuko u so hawt bb" moments.
> 
> Oh my. Will this story actually get some substance?


	3. Chapter 3

Katara wished her bending would return. Everything would have been solved then: she could break the handcuffs, not to mention heal their wounds. Zuko's head was still bleeding, and her throbbing arm reminded her that she had also been hurt. It was not an ideal situation. If only there was something they could use as a bandage.

She examined her wrappings. Maybe she could spare some fabric. The problem was that she would have to unbind a part first in order to loosen the cloth, and there was no way she was going to do that with Zuko handcuffed to her. On the other hand, he was wearing loose pants that stopped above the knee; they looked like the kind of thing she had seen Earth Kingdom men use as sleepwear, though could also function as undergarments.

"Are you wearing anything under those pants?" she demanded.

Zuko's unscarred cheek bloomed with colour. "W-what?"

Katara felt her own face heat. Maybe that had come out wrong. "We need bandages," she explained. "I have no idea when my bending will return, and we're both injured. If we use your pants, we can rip up the cloth to make make-shift bandages."

Zuko shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think that—"

"Are you wearing anything or not?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then take off your pants!"

His blush darkened. Even her cheeks grew hotter. That was an order she had never thought she'd give to Prince Zuko.

"Look," she said, trying to regain her dignity. "I'm just being practical. I'd use my own bindings to make the bandages, but that wouldn't leave me wearing much."

"So, you're saying I should be the one to strip?"

"You're a guy! It's not like it's a big deal for you."

"Says who?" he muttered.

Katara poked him in the chest. "Do you want to pass out from blood loss?"

"I doubt either of our injuries is that serious," he responded, inching back to put some space between them.

"Oh, so you're a medical expert now?"

"No, but—"

"Then stop being so stubborn!" She grabbed at his pants.

"Woah! W-what are you—Quit it!"

Zuko shoved at her hands and tried to scramble backwards. Of course, she just came with him thanks to the handcuffs. The extra weight made him lose his balance. His back hit the ground with a soft thud. Katara landed on top of him, thighs spreading to accommodate his hips. She froze. He tensed. They were very, very close. His lips were inches from hers and parted slightly in surprise. A little closer and they would have kissed. His chest rose and fell quickly. Perhaps he had realised it too.

"Get off," Zuko told her.

It was just like the last time she had ended up sprawled on him. His hands were clenched at his side and he seemed reluctant to touch her, even though it was obvious he wanted to push her off. She found that odd since he'd had no such inhibitions while they'd been sneaking through the ninjas' hideout. Back then, he'd just grabbed and touched her as he liked. The sudden switch annoyed her.

Katara pursed her lips. "What's your problem? One moment you're fine with being close to me and now you're back to acting like I'm diseased."

He made a frustrated noise. "Do we have to have this conversation while you're sitting on me?"

"That depends." She pressed her elbow into his chest, holding him down. "Are you going to keep being stubborn about your pants?"

Colour dusted his cheeks. "You're still harping on about that?"

"We need bandages! You're the only one who can spare the fabric!"

He scowled and averted his gaze. "Just get off."

Katara loomed over him. "Zuko, don't make me undress you."

"You wouldn't," he said in horror.

Which was a stupid comment. He should know that she didn't make empty threats. Katara was raised in the Southern Water Tribe and had been playing the role of mother since she had lost her own. She knew how to deal with brats who didn't want to do as they were told. Right now, Zuko was acting like a stubborn brat; any embarrassment she might have felt in removing his pants had vanished.

"I'm bleeding. You're bleeding," Katara said bluntly. "We're stuck in a forest in the middle of nowhere. Logic says we need bandages." She slipped her fingers inside the waistband of his pants. "Now hand them over!"

Zuko cursed. There was an awkward, inelegant struggle as he tried to stop her. Their handcuffed wrists kept getting in the way, so neither could get the upper hand. Plus, he still seemed a bit thrown by the fact that she was sitting on him. At least at first. Eventually, he locked his legs around her waist and flipped them both over, pinning her onto her back. His eyes narrowed as he met her gaze.

"Quit it!" he growled.

Katara raised her chin. A part of her was conscious of the way their damp bodies were all pressed up against each other, but she had a bone to pick with him. Her pride would not allow her to get flustered and back down now. "You're the one acting like a little kid," she accused.

"You just tried to undress me!"

"Because we need bandages." She enunciated every syllable as if he was the stupidest person in the world. "I've actually studied healing, you know. We need to stem the flow of blood. Plus, I don't want to risk infection. The cloth isn't sterilised, but it's better than nothing. We're like sitting cow-ducks out here with all those ninjas around."

Zuko glared at her for a moment, but then he sighed. Even he couldn't argue with her logic. "Fine," he muttered.

Katara tried not to look smug. Tried and failed. She was petty enough to revel in the fact he had lost their mini battle. If Zuko noticed, he chose not to comment. Instead, he slid off her and used his free hand to try unfastening his pants. A few seconds later he was making small, frustrated noises.

"Problem?" she asked.

Zuko gave a noncommittal grunt. She leaned forward to get a better look. It seemed he was struggling with some tiny buttons. His hand suddenly pressed against her forehead, pushing her back.

"Back off," he snapped.

Katara blinked. It occurred to her that she'd just put her face near his crotch. No wonder he'd panicked.

"Geez, I was only trying to help," she muttered, playing the whole thing off as if it was nothing.

Which was a lie. Having him react like that had made her awkward and embarrassed all over again. This really was a messed up situation. Still, they needed the bandages. She had to be the mature, professional one.

"Just use your other hand," she told him, resting her chin on her palm and looking the other way. "It'll be easier, right?"

Zuko sighed and followed her advice. Of course, her hand was dragged along for the ride. She tried her best not to accidentally touch anything. Both of them were relieved when the buttons came undone.

"Got it?" she asked.

He glowered at her for answer and began half-tugging, half-kicking his pants off, trying his best not to use the hand attached to hers. The reason for his hesitance in shedding said pants was soon revealed. He was only wearing a red loincloth. It didn't hide anything. Not a thing. Katara blushed. Well, it looked as if he didn't have anything to be embarrassed about … not that she was staring. Much.

"Happy?" Zuko demanded, picking up his discarded pants and dumping them in her lap. "Make your stupid bandages."

She swallowed. Okay, dealing with an even more scantily clad prince was harder than she had anticipated. His body was just _there_ , all lean muscle and bared male. Worse, that single splash of colour was like a beacon directing her gaze downwards. She couldn't help but stare.

And stare.

She gave her head a little shake. No, no, no! Eyes back on his face. Back on his face! He was going to notice and think her a perverted creep if she kept looking at him like that.

Katara cleared her throat and picked up his pants. "I might need your help with ripping the cloth into pieces."

Zuko obliged. There was no point resisting now that he had got undressed. Together, they ripped two pieces in order to make padding, and then longer strips to wrap around and act as ties. Now all that was left was to dress their wounds. Katara helped him first, using the water from the river to clean away some of the blood before bandaging him up. He did the same for her, though the handcuffs still made it awkward.

"Alright," she said, letting her arm relax at her side. "We should probably get away from this place for now. That guy in the dragon mask might still be looking for us."

Zuko agreed, so together they headed deeper into the forest. It was a shame that they had lost their clothes. Katara had wanted to follow the river just in case they found the bag, but he argued that sticking close to the water would be too dangerous. The ninjas would expect it since she was a waterbender. In fact, it was that habit which had allowed him to track her back when he'd captured her with the pirates.

"I did not need you to remind me of that," Katara muttered.

Zuko had not only tied her to a tree, but he'd taunted her and in general behaved like a big jerk.

"I'm just saying that you're too predictable" Zuko said with a shrug. "Neither of us is in a position to fight right now, so we need to be smart."

"Yeah, yeah." She waved a dismissive hand. "Just keep walking, Loincloth Boy."

"Loin—what?" He stared at her in a mixture of incredulity and embarrassment.

"It fits, doesn't it?" she quipped.

Never mind that her cheeks were still flushed. Stupid prince and his stupid nice body.

Zuko spluttered for a moment. "You—"

"What?" she cut in, before he could get all offended. "You always just call me waterbender."

He'd never said her name. Not once. It was always "waterbender this" and "waterbender that". That got annoying after a while. So, if he was only going to call her by her bending, she decided that she would call him by the itty bitty fabric now acting as his only piece of attire. No one ever said she wasn't petty.

Zuko shifted on his feet. He looked a bit pink.

"No comeback, huh?" she taunted. "Then I guess you're okay with being called Loincloth Boy."

His blush darkened. "Look, it's not like I call you 'waterbender' to be mean. I just, uh ..." He trailed off.

Katara pursed her lips. "You just what?"

He said nothing. A theory had popped into her mind. An annoying, rather unflattering theory. She leaned forward, staring at him as if she was trying to read his mind. He inched back a bit. There was a cornered look in his golden eyes that reminded her of Sokka when her brother had been caught stealing the seal jerky.

"You don't even know my name, do you?" she questioned in a flat voice.

Zuko relaxed his stance, trying to go for the lofty 'I have no cares' attitude. "I know it starts with a K."

She puffed her cheeks out in irritation. "You—I can't believe you!"

This guy had chased her all over the world—had tied her to a damn tree—and he'd never even had the decency to learn her name. Jerk didn't even begin to cover it.

"It's not like we stopped to chat or that you ever gave me a personal introduction!" Zuko snapped. "Besides, if you hadn't noticed, I was kind of busy with other things at the time."

"Oh, so I'm not important enough for you to remember?"

"No, I just—"

"It's all about the Avatar for you, isn't it?"

"That's not—"

But Katara was on a roll. She told him that he was an awful person; that the only reason she had remembered his name was because he was a big jerk who everyone hated, among other less flattering things. Nothing could stop her tirade. Nothing except the need for oxygen.

"Are you done?" Zuko asked when she paused to take a breath.

She glowered at him. "Maybe."

There was a moment of pouty silence, and then—

"It's Katara, by the way."

"Huh?" He blinked at her.

"My name." She emphasised the word by poking him in the ribs. "K-A-T-A-R-A. Learn it. Use it."

Zuko's cheeks dusted with pink. "Uh, okay. Katara."

Something fluttery stirred to life in her stomach. Oh. The way he said her name was actually really nice.

Wait, what?

Katara averted her face. She would have folded her arms too, but that would have led to accidental boob groping. "Whatever," she muttered. "Let's just keep walking."

He didn't argue, and so they continued their awkward way into the forest. It was while they were doing thus that a new problem decided to present itself. Katara wriggled and squirmed, shifting and squeezing her thighs together, but it was to no avail. The little issue that had been a bother at the back of her mind was now a pressing need.

"Um," she began, lowering her head to hide her blush. "Is there really no way to get these handcuffs off?"

"Not unless your bending has returned."

She winced. "It hasn't."

"Then that's a no."

Katara clenched her hands into fists. "Then, um, I, uh ..."

He frowned and met her gaze. "What is it? Just spit it out."

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I really need to pee," she confessed in a rush.

Silence. Katara cringed. Spirits, this was so embarrassing. She dared to raise her head to see his reaction. Zuko looked as if he had been stuffed. His eyes were glassy and he didn't even twitch.

"Uh, Zuko?" she prompted.

He let out a breath. "You can't hold it?"

"You think I would be telling you this if I could?"

He rubbed the base of his neck, clearly not having a response for that. Katara squirmed again. Her bladder felt like it was going to burst.

"I need to go," she moaned.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay—" he took a deep breath, as if trying to bolster himself. "Okay, let's just be mature about this. Going toilet is a natural part of life."

"Right, right," she agreed, nodding her head. "We can totally be mature about this."

"And it's not like we can break these handcuffs, so we have no choice but to put up with each other for now."

"Exactly!"

His eyes met hers, steeled as if he was about to go into battle. "Then do what you need to do."

Katara nodded grimly. Not that her dignity lasted for long. She hurried to squat, responding to the urgent pressure against her bladder. Meanwhile, Zuko stood next to her and kept his face pointedly in the other direction. All was going fine until Katara actually looked at her wrappings. Every complicated bit of it. Oh, hell.

"Um," she began in a small voice. "I might need your help."

She felt him twitch.

"It's my sarashi," she explained. "I don't know if I can undo it myself with one hand." Not without things getting very awkward anyway.

"Try!" he half-pleaded.

"But I really need to go!" She wriggled uncomfortably. "Please? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary."

Zuko groaned something that might have been a curse word. He crouched next to her. "What do I need to do?"

"Just help me loosen the cloth. I should be able to do the rest."

He did as asked. She tried not to think about how horribly intimate and embarrassing the whole situation was. It helped that her bladder was screaming at her for release.

"Okay, I'm good," Katara said hastily, gathering the cloth before it could start unravelling.

Zuko pulled his hand away and went back to looking in the opposite direction. Just in time. Katara bit her lip as she allowed nature to take its course. The sense of shame was returning. This was not at all what she had planned to do with her enemy. It was even worse when she had to ask for his help to tie her sarashi back up again. Both of them were very pink when he finished.

She stood up, not quite meeting his gaze. "Sorry about that. Um, let's keep walking."

He hesitated. "Actually, uh, I kind of need to go now as well."

Her eyes widened.

"But I'm pretty sure I can do it myself," he was quick to add.

Well, that was one consolation. All she had to do was stand next to him and not look. Katara could do that. Even though it was awkward. Even though she could hear everything. Oh, this was definitely not what she had planned to do with her enemy.

"Finished," Zuko said.

She slowly turned to face him. Both avoided looking at each other. They had just crossed a line. A terrible, humiliating line that should have never been crossed. Katara hoped her bending returned soon. She never wanted to experience that again. Not ever.

Speaking of bending, there was something that had been bothering her.

"What happened to your firebending?" she asked, once the awkwardness had passed enough for her to even contemplate speaking to him again.

Zuko exhaled through his nose. "None of your business."

"But—"

"Just drop it, Katara."

She closed her mouth. Maybe it was the use of her given name that made her listen to him—that fluttery feeling in her stomach was awfully distracting—or maybe it was just because he seemed a bit deflated. His shoulders had slumped, and there was a faraway look in his eyes. Whatever had weakened his bending still upset him.

"I'm sure it'll pass," she said, touching his arm. "You're a great bender, so don't worry about it." A smile curved her lips. "You'll be back to normal in no time."

He raised his eyebrow. "Are you trying to cheer me up?"

Pink dusted her cheeks. "Uh—"

The answer was yes. She had instinctively started doing her usual pep talk routine with him. He'd just looked so down, and they'd been stuck together long enough—not to mention shared enough intimate experiences—for her to no longer see him as Complete Evil. Granted, he was still a jerk, but he was also an attractive jerk who had been nice enough to help her go toilet instead of making her piss herself. That wasn't something she could easily forget, enemy or not.

"I'm just saying," Katara said, purposely looking ahead. "I don't think you need to worry. Whatever is bothering you will pass."

"Thanks, I guess."

She snuck a peek at him from under her lashes. His brow was furrowed, as if he didn't understand why she was being nice to him instead of lecturing him and being bossy like usual. It was kind of adorable.

Katara scrunched her nose. Her mind was being rather treacherous today. She wasn't sure she was happy with the direction of her thoughts. Zuko was still her enemy. Thinking of him as adorable, attractive or any other positive label was not allowed. No, this development would not do at all.

Stupid handcuffs. Stupid Zuko.


	4. Chapter 4

After what felt like hours of walking, Katara had resigned herself to the fact that her bending was not going to return anytime soon. Nothing responded—not even the smallest drops of water. Zuko thought the ninjas might have put something in the drug they had used to knock her out; chi blocking didn't normally last this long.

"What are we going to do?" Katara groaned. She rattled their handcuffed wrists. "We can't just stay stuck together."

"I don't know," he muttered.

"But—"

"I said I don't know!"

Katara glowered at him. "There's no need to get snippy about it."

He let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. It was obvious their situation was getting to him. Not that she was faring much better. Hunger, exhaustion and being stuck in such close proximity with each other were all taking their toll. It didn't help that she and Zuko had never particularly got along.

"Let's just keep walking," he said tiredly.

Katara followed, though with little enthusiasm. It was getting colder now that the sun was going down. She missed her furs (and just clothes in general). Her feet ached from walking so long without shoes. Her wrist also ached from the handcuff constantly tugging and rubbing against her skin. Frankly, this whole situation sucked.

"Do you even know where we're going?" she asked.

Zuko paused to give her a flat stare.

"What?" She planted her hand on her hip. "It's a genuine question. You've been taking the lead, so—"

"Do I look like a walking map of the Earth Kingdom?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

He heaved a sigh. "I wasn't awake when I got brought to the ninjas' hideout. Hence, I have no idea where we are. Hence, I also have no idea where we are going."

She puffed her cheeks out in irritation. "Do you mean to tell me that we're —"

"You're welcome to take the lead if you think you can do any better," he cut in before she could get started on a new tirade. He made a sweeping gesture with his hand. "Please, be my guest."

Katara closed her mouth. They were both aware that she knew even less about the Earth Kingdom than him. Still, she could have done without his sarcasm.

"Your attitude sucks," she muttered.

"Your comebacks suck."

"Wow, so mature."

Zuko ignored her and kept walking. She muttered unflattering things about him under her breath, but he either didn't hear or chose to feign deafness. This didn't help to ease her building frustration. All she could do was glare at him: at his stupid profile (which was not handsome), and at the way he strutted ahead in that moody way of his (which did not give her a nice view of his butt. Because she wasn't staring. Nope. Not at all).

Katara shook her head, trying to shake off the distracting thoughts. It was just hard when Zuko was right _there_. He was so close, all lean body and toned muscle, and that itty bit of fabric did nothing to disguise what was covered. Even if he was annoying, even if she aimed to glare at him, the part of her that had grown up in a small village with a severe lack of males her own age couldn't help but appreciate the view.

And what a view it was. Zuko was undoubtedly the most attractive boy she had met during her travels, even with the scar that marred the left side of his face. Of course, her treacherous mind decided to remind her that she had also felt that view. All those times they'd been pressed up against each other, bodies touching far too intimately, and—

"Ah, stop it!"

Zuko glanced over his shoulder. His brow creased. "Stop what? I'm not doing anything."

Katara's cheeks flooded with pink. She couldn't believe she had said that aloud.

"Your hair is stupid," she muttered.

Zuko blinked in confusion, but Katara was already striding ahead. Walking behind the prince was far too dangerous. She'd take the lead for her own sanity. It wasn't like they could get any more lost.

They walked in silence for a while, even as the sky got darker. Her stomach renewed its chorus of grumbles and rumbling. It would have been embarrassing had Zuko's not joined her for a food-deprived duet. Both teens sighed in unison.

"We need food," Katara said, clutching her stomach. "There has to be some berries or nuts or something in this forest."

Zuko agreed that food would be nice, but they hadn't come across anything edible so far and soon it would be too difficult to see. Hardly any light was getting through the gaps in the trees.

"You can create a flame to give us light, can't you?" she asked.

He shook his head. "It's too risky with those ninjas around. It'll be like a signal to give away our position."

Katara huffed and muttered that he was no use at all. Zuko also muttered something, though she didn't catch his exact words. Just that it sounded very rude.

"You wanna say that again?" she demanded.

Zuko met her glare for glare. "If we're going to talk about who is the useless one here, it's obviously you," he said bluntly. "What have you even done except act demanding and get in the way?"

"Excuse me!" She took a step closer, jabbing him in the chest with her finger. "I saved your life, you jerk! Without me, you'd have drowned in that river."

It was hard to tell in the fading light, but it looked as if his unscarred cheek coloured a little. Right. They were both reminded of just how she had saved him. Lips pressed against lips, breathing air into his lungs. It hadn't been romantic in the slightest, but that didn't change the fact she had basically kissed him.

"Whatever," Zuko said, turning his nose up at her. "Let's just—"

"Hey!" She grabbed his arm. "This conversation isn't over!"

Zuko shook her off. "What's your problem?"

"My problem? What's yours?" Her chest swelled with frustration. "You're just a big jerk acting like you know everything, but really you have no idea what you're doing, do you?"

"Yeah? Well, you're just a bossy brat, and you're always getting in my space, and you sit there saying whatever you like about me, but you can't handle it when it's dished back to you, can you?"

She opened and closed her mouth like a fish. "Y-you—"

"I bet that's why the Avatar and your brother ditched you in Ba Sing Se; they got sick of your bossiness."

"They didn't ditch me! I _chose_ to stay in Ba Sing Se!"

He turned his back on her. "That's what you say."

Katara made a choked sound of rage. If she could bend, she would have doused him with water. As it was, she resorted to shoving him hard in the back. The attack took him by surprise—enough to knock him forward more steps than expected. Unfortunately, the fact they were handcuffed together meant the momentum dragged her along with him. She yelped, crashing into his back while he was still trying to recover his balance. Her stomach swooped in a fluttery rush. She was falling, he was falling. It was an all too familiar experience. Katara really hated handcuffs.

Zuko hit the ground with a thump. He was half-raised on his knees, palm planted flat on the dirt. Katara had instinctively curled around him during the fall, which had worked great in the sense that he had become her cushion. The problem was that her hand was now gripping fabric. There was only one bit of fabric on Zuko's body. Also, there was some definite movement happening down there.

"Get off!"

Zuko's voice sounded panicked. His fingers closed around her wrist, wrenching her hand away. A second later, she found herself sprawled on her butt. Katara blinked. Her cheeks were hot with embarrassment. It had moved. Oh spirits. She had touched it and it had moved.

"Um," she began.

_"Don't."_

The way he spoke sounded like he was gritting his teeth. She couldn't tell for sure because he sat angled away from her, almost huddled. Katara would have found his discomfort funny if she wasn't so mortified. This was different from the time she'd accidentally felt Jet's erection (he'd got that one all by himself and had tipped her off when he'd hugged her from behind). This time, however, she'd actually _touched_ Zuko. Right there. With her hand. And then it had stiffened and got hard, and—

Katara let out a little groan. "I'm so sorry."

Apparently, apologising had been the wrong thing to say. Zuko lost it: he went off at her about how she was just a stupid klutz who was forever falling on him, and why couldn't she just keep her hands to herself? Why was that so hard?

"You're one to talk!" she snapped. "You were all over me back at the ninjas' hideout!"

"What?" he exclaimed. "When have I ever touched you?"

"Are you kidding me?"

Aside from the accidental boob grope, she could vividly recall all those times they'd been forced into close proximity because he'd tugged her with him into an alcove or some other hiding place. Heck, he'd practically kissed her ear. When she said as much, he claimed that he had only been trying to stop them from getting caught. It wasn't like he had purposely touched her in intimate places.

"I didn't touch you there on purpose!" she retorted. "It was an accident. Besides, you're the one who reacted like that!" Her blush darkened. "I can't believe I felt that."

"It's not like I can help it!"

His voice sounded a bit choked. He had huddled more over himself, still keeping his back to her as much as possible. For some reason this annoyed her.

"Hasn't it gone down yet?" she demanded.

Zuko's shoulders hunched. "If I could make it go down just like that, I would. Trust me." Under his breath, he muttered something about how he couldn't believe they were having this conversation.

Katara bit her lip. This was too awkward. She was very conscious of the fact that he was sitting right next to her with an erection she had given him. It made her think too much about how it had felt, and what it might look like, and—

"How long are we going to have to wait?" she asked, flushing. "Isn't there a way to make it go down faster?"

Zuko made more choked noises. "Would you just shut up for a moment?"

Katara huffed and folded her arms across her chest. And immediately regretted it. Just like last time, Zuko's hand ended up on her boob.

"For the love of—" he gritted out, quickly pulling his hand away. "Stop moving. Stop talking. Just _stop_."

Katara did as asked, though it was more from awkwardness than because she actually wanted to listen to him. His voice sounded far too strained. It was like being close to her physically pained him. Her own heart was a fluttery mess in her chest. She could still feel the imprint of his hand on her breast, which somehow felt more sensitive than usual.

That was when her stomach gave a loud grumble, going on and on and on. Zuko let out another choked noise, though this time it was more of a snort. Had he—had he just laughed?

"Something funny?" she asked in a dry voice.

She wanted to be the mature one, the one to make it clear that her stomach growling in the middle of their awkward spat was not at all amusing. Except her stomach chose that moment to let out another long rumble. It was so long and loud that it was like it was talking to them, reaching a dramatic crescendo. Zuko's shoulders shook and then a tiny giggle escaped him. Katara's lips twitched. The sound he'd made had been half-hysterical, far, far too adorable, but it was still an undeniable giggle.

What a dork.

She bit her lip, trying to hold back the bubble of laughter rising within her. She lost it when his stomach joined in, getting louder and louder by the second. The sheer ridiculousness of the situation was too much. Plus, his giggles were infectious.

"Can't breathe," Katara gasped.

Zuko collapsed against the ground on his back, dragging her with him from the motion. He sucked in deep breaths in an attempt to calm down. She lay next to him, occasionally shaking with fresh chuckles. Any lingering tension between the teens had well and truly vanished. It helped that he was no longer pitching a tent in his loincloth.

"Okay," she said in a trembling voice, "I think we should really try to find some food."

He grunted in agreement.

She shifted to her knees and glanced down at him. "By the way," she said, unable to resist teasing him a little, "I never expected you'd have such a cute laugh. Aren't you supposed to be the big, bad Fire Nation prince?"

His mouth twisted into a scowl. "Shut up."

Katara snorted, though she didn't tease him any further. The two got to their feet and continued walking. Fortunately, they did manage to find a bush with edible berries in the end, along with a tiny stream they could use for drinking water. She took the opportunity to wash herself down a bit, using the hand that wasn't handcuffed to Zuko to dampen her skin. It was while she was running her hand down her neck that she noticed him staring at her.

"What?" she questioned.

He cleared his throat and looked the other way. "Nothing."

Katara frowned but didn't push the matter. She tried waterbending, just to see if it would work this time, but her bending was still stubbornly out of her reach. A sigh escaped her lips.

"Still no luck?" Zuko asked.

She shook her head. The two of them were going to have to stay stuck together for now. It wasn't a happy thought, especially when they realised that they could no longer keep walking. It was too dark to see, far too cold, and both were exhausted. They needed to find a place to rest for the night.

Zuko managed to find a small hollow within a barricade of tree trunks. There wasn't much space, but it wasn't like the handcuffs would have let them separate anyway. Besides, with their current lack of clothing and the icy wind that had started up, the main thing was to have as much shelter as possible. Even if it was awkward to be this close to the prince.

Katara curled her legs up so she was huddled in a ball. Every time either of them moved they'd brush against each other. Little slithers of icy wind kept sneaking through the gaps in the hollow. She could hear his teeth chattering. Or maybe that was her own. It was hard to tell.

"It's cold," she complained.

Zuko just grunted. He had got more and more miserable as the temperature had dropped. Well, he was also only wearing a loincloth and was from a much warmer climate. Perhaps that was why he kept shuffling around, desperate to escape the draft. It was a pain.

She sighed and stared into the darkness. He shifted again, rattling the chain on their handcuffs. Two minutes later, he was huffing and rolling the other way. This time he dragged her wrist with him.

"Quit it," Katara muttered. "Geez, you're like a little kid. Just stay still."

Zuko huffed and tried to do as she asked. He lasted all of ten seconds.

"That's it," she gritted out between clenched teeth.

The next second she had shuffled his way and was feeling around in the darkness until her hands made contact with his chilled skin. He flinched at the contact—her fingers were hardly warm—but she just moved closer. He audibly swallowed and demanded to know what she was doing.

"You're annoying," she said bluntly.

Though she was grateful for the darkness that hid her blush. She'd snuggled herself right up against him, so close she could feel his heartbeat. Too bad he was as stiff as a block of stone.

"Relax," she told him. "You're cold too, right? This way we can share body heat. Or would you rather get sick?"

He was still for a moment and then his arm came around her, drawing her in so that there was no space between their bodies. Not that he stopped there. He tangled his legs with hers and buried his face into the nook between her neck and shoulder. She could feel his breath on her bare skin—almost feel the imprint of his lips. Her stomach fluttered and her pulse quickened. It was so much different when he initiated the contact. Blood thudded in her ears.

She cleared her throat. "U-um, Zuko, I don't think—"

"You're the one who said we should share body heat."

"But—"

"Just stay like this."

His voice was low and raspy, and it made something curl like an unfurling petal inside her. She was hyperaware of every point where they touched. It was like their skin had become charged with energy. She had an odd urge to touch him—not as she did now, all pressed against him, but to _really_ touch him. Exploring caresses, fingers slipping through his hair. She wanted to experience it all.

That was a scary thought.

Katara clenched her hands into fists. His body heat was slowly beginning to merge with hers, but that didn't matter now. She already knew it was going to be a long, long night. It would be a miracle if she got any sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of flipped the whole "Zuko's a firebender and so much warmer" cliché on its head, but hey. Zutara snuggles still happened. That's all that matters.


	5. Chapter 5

Birds were chirping from somewhere above. Katara stirred, though she didn't open her eyes. She didn't want to move period. She felt all snuggly and warm, though a hazy part of her mind whispered that wasn't normal. It was nice, yes, but not normal. Something rose and fell underneath her. She picked up the steady rhythm of a heartbeat close to her cheek. Everything fell into place then.

Her eyes snapped open. There was Zuko's chest that she was using as a pillow. A glance upward revealed his jaw, half-obscuring his face. She was suddenly conscious of the way their legs were tangled and the arm he had draped around her waist. Their handcuffed wrists were tucked up near his chin, and his fingers were interlocked with hers. It was all so intimate and, well, _snuggly_. Add in the fact that both were wearing hardly any clothing and it was no wonder her pulse quickened.

Katara swallowed. The urge from last night had returned. She wanted to touch him. He was so warm, and he was right _there_. She shifted a little, sliding up against him as she raised herself to get a peek at his face. He was still asleep, eyes closed and breathing softly. Some of his hair had fallen in his face. The black strands were like a maddening little siren saying "touch me, touch me, touch me!" Katara bit her lip and, with her heart pounding, brushed the strands away from his eyes. His hair was so soft.

Zuko made a sleepy noise. She pulled her hand back quickly, but he didn't wake. Instead, he just snuggled more into her. She felt his fingers trail up her back, digging into her bindings as he pulled her closer. A tiny gasp escaped her lips. The sudden pressure of his grip had taken her unprepared, making her almost bump face-first into him. Fortunately, she'd managed to stop herself in time. Unfortunately, their lips were now centimetres apart.

Of course, Zuko chose that moment to wake up.

His eyes met hers in a glimmer of gold. It only took him a second to process their position: her half-straddling him, lips so, so close; his fingers still digging into her back. Pink spread over his unscarred cheek. A second later he was thrusting her away from him. Katara blinked as she landed on her butt. Then her mouth twisted and she was rounding on him.

"What is your problem?" she demanded, cheeks flushed.

"My problem?" he repeated, scrambling into a sitting position. "What the hell were you doing?"

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, struggling to formulate a response that didn't make her look like a creeper. "Shut up!" she settled for. "It's not like I intended to get all up in your face. You were the one who pulled me close! I just woke up that way!"

Well, the last part was a lie, but he didn't need to know that.

His blush darkened. He glanced at his hand, as if remembering how he had dug his fingers into her bindings. Katara glowered at him, feeling odd and out of sorts. She was so tired of the way he jerked her around. It made her feel like she had emotional whiplash. Even if she had been the one to peek at him while he was sleeping, he really had been the one to pull her closer. Just like it was Zuko who had tangled himself up with her far more than necessary last night.

"I don't understand you," she muttered. "Are you just messed up in the brain or what?"

"Huh?"

She pointed an accusing finger at his face. "I'm talking about your weird hot and cold behaviour."

Zuko blinked. It seemed he was more obtuse than she had realised.

Katara huffed and moved closer. He flinched, backing away from her as if she was diseased.

"See!" she exclaimed. "That's what I'm talking about!"

His eyes widened. "I have no idea what—"

Katara pounced on him, pinning him down with her thighs. "So, you don't want to push me away right now?"

"Of course I want to push you away!" He wriggled underneath her, hands fluttering near her but not quite touching as he tried to get her off.

Her eyes narrowed. "Why? You were pretty content to be close to me last night."

"I was cold!"

"So, it's okay when you're cold?"

Zuko made a panicked sound. "Are you crazy?" His fingers skimmed her thighs, but he pulled back a split-second later as if burnt. "Why does it even matter?"

"I just want to know what your deal is!"

"What do you think?" he snapped. "I'm a male, aren't I?"

Katara blinked, but it seemed the prince had had enough. His hand latched onto her bindings—the same spot he had grabbed earlier.

"Just get off!" he yelled.

Katara was jerked backwards—at least a part of the way. A flutter of cloth soon had both teens freezing. She sucked in a sharp breath. Zuko just stared at her chest, even as a bundle of what looked like burning fabric slipped from his fingers.

Her chest which now felt a little too breezy.

Katara's cheeks burned. "You—" she raised her hand to hit him.

"I-I'm sorry," he stammered. "I didn't mean to—I just panicked and—"

"—jerk!"

She slapped him hard in the face. He didn't try to dodge the blow. Perhaps he also realised he deserved it. At the same time, she quickly made a motion to cover her breasts. This would have been fine if she wasn't right-handed (hence, slapping him with her right hand) or that it was her left wrist that was attached to Zuko. In short, his hand made contact with her bared skin. Goosebumps prickled over her from the touch.

Zuko's eyes widened. This time she didn't complain when he shoved her away. She also wasn't surprised when he turned his back on her, hunching over so that all she could see was his messy dark head and the curve of his spine. Maybe he was trying to do the decent thing and not look at her breasts, but it was also likely he had a selfish motive. She'd felt that decided nudge from below.

Katara bit her lip. She was angry and confused and embarrassed, but there was also something else rising within her. Something that stirred like the unfurling petals from the night before, hot and heady. Her heart was pounding way too fast; it was like the organ was trying to jump out of her chest. Somehow, that annoyed her even more.

"I can't believe you burnt my top," she said after a moment.

"It was an accident."

His voice sounded strangled.

Katara glared at his back. "Really? So, it's normal for you to get a little excited and start burning people's clothes?"

Zuko made a choked noise. "I didn't get—you were the one who wouldn't get off me!"

"Oh, so this is _my_ fault?"

"I was just trying to be respectful!"

"Respectful?" she repeated with a snort. "How is anything you've done respectful?"

That did get a rise out of Zuko. His shoulders tensed and the hand that was chained to hers curled into a fist. "Do you have any idea how _hard_ it's been for me with you throwing yourself at me all the time?"

Katara opened her mouth to say that she had not been throwing herself at him, but Zuko just ploughed on.

"You never keep your hands to yourself, you're always up in my space, and it's not like you're going to win a Miss Modest award with that outfit!"

She puffed her cheeks out. "You—"

"I'm a male, Katara." The way he spoke sounded like he was clenching his teeth. "When you do things like that, I can't just ignore how—it's not like I can—" He made a frustrated sound. "It just makes things hard for me, okay?"

Something fluttered in her stomach. Little pieces were beginning to fall into place. It almost sounded like he was saying that the reason for his hot and cold behaviour was because he was afraid that he would lose control if they got too close. That was kind of flattering, but it also succeeded in making Katara's ire rise all over again.

"What about you?" she snapped. "You think this has been any easier for me?"

Zuko glanced over his shoulder. "Huh?"

"Don't look!" She placed her arm—the right one this time—over her breasts.

He blushed and quickly turned the other way. "S-sorry. I'm just not sure I follow."

Katara glared holes into his back. "Oh, sure. Act all innocent. Never mind the fact you've been strutting around practically naked! You think because I'm female that doesn't have an effect on me?"

Zuko made spluttering sounds. "I don't—I didn't—"

"And let's not forget all those times you touched me!" she reminded him. "Maybe you didn't mean anything by it, but you still did it! I'm not made of stone, you know. I'm going to feel something if you do that."

"B-but—"

"But what?" Katara snarled, kicking him in his back, though not hard. "I've been perpetually frustrated and barely got any sleep because of you! The least you can do is own up to it!"

There was an awkward silence. Katara breathed heavily. A part of her knew that she had just revealed way too much with that rant, but it was too late to take the words back. She felt on edge and wound way too tight. Just being near him made the frustration lick at her insides, demanding some kind of satisfaction. Whether that was pummelling him to a pulp or just kissing him senseless, even she didn't know.

"Um," Zuko said after a moment, "has your bending returned?"

She blinked. "I don't know. Why?"

"Because we need to get out of these handcuffs. Right now."

Something about his tone made the coil of heat inside her tighten and then slowly unfurl, almost teasing. Her mouth went dry.

"I need water to test it," she said, fighting against the urge to pounce on him again, though for a very different reason. "That stream we found last night isn't too far from here."

He grunted in acknowledgement.

Katara glanced down at her bared breasts. "Um, keep your back turned for a second."

Zuko did as asked. She reached up and removed the tie from her plait, then took out the hair ornaments keeping her hair up. The dark strands tumbled free, much curlier than normal thanks to being kept up for so long, but at least the length was enough to cover her breasts. It would have to do.

"Okay," she said. "You can look now."

He hesitated only a moment before turning around. All it took was once glance. His eyes glazed over. A second later, he was facing the other way and hunching over himself again.

"Are you kidding me?" Katara demanded. "Tell me you did not just get excited from that!"

Zuko groaned in obvious embarrassment. "Shut up! I told you I can't help it!"

She huffed. "Well, hurry up and fix yourself so we can get moving."

He made spluttering sounds and said it wasn't that easy. Under his breath, he added something that sounded like she had no female decency.

"What?" Katara poked him in the back. "You wanna say that again?"

"Geez, stop touching me!" Zuko snapped, turning to swat her hand away.

Their faces were suddenly inches apart. Katara sucked in a breath and pulled back just as Zuko did the same. Her stomach was doing the fluttery thing again. She snuck a glance at his profile—or, rather, his lips. How easy it would be to just lean in, and ...

"That's it!" she exclaimed, getting to her feet and tugging him up with her.

"W-woah, what are you—"

"We're going to find water!" Katara declared. "I won't look if you won't look, so let's go!"

Zuko pressed his palm to his forehead. "I can't believe this is my life."

Katara marched ahead, dragging him along behind her. She had to admit that she agreed with his sentiment. This whole situation was like something from a bizarre piece of fiction. Not to mention was really, really frustrating. It was one thing to be handcuffed to her enemy; it was quite another to lose her top and start fantasising about kissing him.

The handcuffs had to come off. Right now.

oOo

"Finally!" Katara sighed in relief.

Her bending had at last returned and she had been able to use the water to slice through the metal chain connecting her to Zuko. The cuff still remained on both of their wrists, but that was okay. At least they were no longer stuck together. She celebrated by rushing off to the bushes alone—sweet, sweet aloneness—to go relieve her protesting bladder. No doubt Zuko had done the same. When they met up again by the stream, she was feeling much more charitable and relaxed.

"Here," Katara said, grabbing him by the arm.

He spluttered and tried to pull away. "W-what are you—"

"Hold still!"

Zuko froze. She glowered at him in extra warning, then reached up to unwind the bandage from around his head. His chest rose and fell quickly. No doubt her proximity unnerved him (or maybe it was because only her hair was covering her breasts). Fighting the blush that threatened to spill over her cheeks, Katara moved behind him. She sheathed her hand in water and placed her palm against his injury, healing all trace of the wound. There wasn't even a bump left.

"There," she said, stepping back.

Zuko brushed his fingers against the back of his head. "Uh, thanks," he murmured, looking a bit confused. Perhaps he had not expected such a nice gesture from her.

Katara averted her face. He absolutely did _not_ look cute.

Desperate for a distraction, she busied herself by removing the bandage on her arm and healed her own wound. Now she had some cloth to work with. Maybe if she tied the strips together she could create some kind of top. Well, it was worth a shot. Her hair wasn't exactly an ideal cover.

Katara crouched on the ground and began tying the pieces together. Zuko—idiot that he was—had destroyed her breast bindings with that little flame trick of his, so there was no salvaging anything from that. A part of her still wondered if it had been the accident that he claimed. When she asked him as much, he insisted that he definitely had not done that on purpose.

"You're a bender," he pointed out. "If you're agitated, accidents happen. Honestly, I was just trying to pull you off; I never meant for there to be any fire."

She pursed her lips but didn't push the matter. He sounded embarrassed enough to be telling the truth. Still didn't change the fact she had been reduced to making clothing out of bandage strips, which had been taken from his pants. Ugh. Stupid firebenders.

Zuko made an odd sound. She glanced over her shoulder to see what was wrong with him now, but he was just staring at her with a glazed expression. Or, rather, at her back. All of her hair had fallen forward to leave the entire skin on her back bare. Apparently, that did something for him.

"Pervert," Katara muttered.

That snapped him out of his daze. He quickly cleared his throat and turned the other way. She glared at him a moment longer—never mind she had perved just as much on him without his knowledge—and went back to tying strips of cloth. Eventually, she had created something that would function as a top. Not that it was going to cover much. Without the layers of cloth holding everything down, her breasts were a lot more, well, out there.

A sigh escaped her lips. She wrapped the fabric around her breasts and secured it at the front. A glance down made her frown. Too much cleavage. Her hair would have to help hide that.

Katara got back to her feet and dusted off her hands. The prince still stood with his back to her. Though they were no longer handcuffed together or had even said as much aloud, it seemed a mutual agreement had been made to stick together. At the very least, she didn't complain that he was still hanging around.

She walked up and poked him in the arm. "Let's go."

Zuko muttered something under his breath, but it was too low for her to hear. They walked side-by-side, more from habit than anything. Perhaps he also found it weird not to be near her after being handcuffed together for almost twenty-four hours. Or maybe, like her, he was just conscious of that insistent little pull, as if there were invisible threads tugging their bodies closer.

Katara bit her lip and quickened her pace. Maybe it wasn't the handcuffs that had been the problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did someone say UST? *cackles*
> 
> I admit I was giggling to myself the whole time I was writing this chapter. Are the scenes completely over the top and contrived? Yes. Was it fun to write? Very much so.


	6. Chapter 6

Katara felt the river before she saw it. Her element was all around her, comforting and powerful. She dashed ahead with a smile.

"We shouldn't stay here," Zuko warned her.

"Stop being such a worrywart." She glanced at him over her shoulder. "I've got my bending back now, so we'll be fine. I'm strong enough to take on those ninjas. Besides, I want to wash up."

"This isn't the ti—"

"Look at us both!"

Katara gestured at their bodies. Dirt, blood and sweat coated their skin in a layer of grime. She was tired of it. She just wanted to be clean, and now that she was no longer handcuffed to Zuko, she could finally seize the opportunity.

"Besides," she added, "we haven't seen those guys in ages. I doubt they're even following us now."

He frowned for a moment but then sighed. "Fine."

Maybe he was tired of being grubby as well. She took this as her victory and raised her fist to the air à la Sokka. He raised his eyebrow. Katara poked her tongue out at him and dived into the water. She didn't care if he thought her childish; she was just happy to be reunited with her element—properly this time—and to feel a semblance of cleanliness.

She broke through the surface and flipped her hair back, smiling with her head raised and her eyes closed. The sound of someone clearing their throat broke her moment of euphoria. Katara turned to see Zuko still standing on the bank.

"I'll be over there," he said, pointing to where there was a sharp bend in the river and some shrub to give a bit of privacy. "You can—" He made an awkward gesture with his hands.

Now it was Katara's turn to raise her eyebrow. Eloquence did not seem to be a skill with which he had been blessed.

"Alright," she said with a shrug. "Call out if something happens."

"Yeah, yeah."

He waved off her reminder that he was the one who'd need her help if the ninjas came, though she still caught the colour that spread on his unscarred cheek. It was kind of fun being the stronger one. If she wanted to, she could have him pinned down and helpless in seconds.

Heat stirred in her stomach like a lazy coil. Okay, maybe thinking of pinning down Zuko was not a good idea. That just put bad thoughts in her head.

Katara shook off the fantasy and watched him pass out of view behind the bend. Now that she had some privacy, she wasted no time in stripping her "clothes" and then gave the fabric and herself a good scrub. It felt so, so good to be clean and to just relax in the water. Though it was a bit weird not having Zuko right next to her.

She glanced at the cuff attached to her wrist. It looked like a garish bracelet, with a tiny bit of chain still dangling from the end. A sigh escaped her lips. Now that she was standing still, she could hear faint splashing coming from around the bend where Zuko had disappeared. It sounded like he was closer than she had realised.

"Hey, Zuko," she called.

There was a pause.

"What?"

Her mouth twitched into a tiny smile. "Nothing."

She had just wanted to confirm that he was near. It was … reassuring?

Katara's smile faded. Reassuring was not a word she should be associating with the prince. Zuko was her enemy. He'd chased her and her friends halfway around the world and then some. Still, even as she listed every reason for why she should hate him, the venom just wasn't there. For every bad deed he had committed in the past, she had a memory to match it of the time they'd been handcuffed. His helpfulness, his shyness, his moments of utter dorkiness. It didn't help that he seemed to get more and more attractive the longer she was around him.

Another sigh escaped her lips. This really wasn't good.

Katara lost her desire to linger in the water. She trudged back to the bank and pulled her "clothes" on. A strangled yelp sounded from where Zuko was bathing. She paused, listening intently as she glanced at the shrubs covering the bend. A second yelp had her running.

"Zuko!"

She burst through the shrub and crashed into something solid. It only took her a second to piece together the wet, toned body she was leaning against. Zuko's hands found her hips, steadying both of them before they could topple backwards into the water. Katara let out a breath. One of her hands was trapped between them, fingers spread against his abdomen.

"Please tell me you're wearing the loincloth," she said, keeping her cheek pressed against his chest. It was the only way to avoid looking lower.

"Uh, yeah."

Still, neither of them moved. Her heart thudded against her ribs. She could feel his doing the same, joining hers in a frantic rhythm. It didn't help that his hands were still on her hips, fingers digging in just so. Normally, he would have shoved her away by now.

"Why'd you come over here?" he asked. "You knew I was bathing."

His voice sounded odd. Sort of strained yet not. She wished she could see his expression, but she couldn't seem to pull back from his chest. Instead, she raised her chin a little, catching a glimpse of his jaw.

"You sounded like you were in trouble," she admitted. "Uh, what did happen, by the way? You seemed to be running from something."

He was quiet for a moment. When he did respond, it was a low mumble.

"Huh?" She furrowed her brow. "What was that?"

"I said there was a porcupine-eel."

Katara bit on her lip. Even then, she wasn't able to stop the giggle that escaped. "You—you were running from a—"

"Oh, shut up," he huffed. "You'd have run too if that thing came swimming up near you."

"I'm a master waterbender," she reminded him. "I don't run from anything when I'm surrounded by my element."

His breath fanned her hair in what sounded like a snort. "Well, aren't you a big girl now."

The words were an echo of a taunt he had tossed at her long ago—long before she had ever considered him as anything but a hateful boy with a scar. He'd been vicious back then, trying to make her feel weak and pathetic. This time, he was just amused. Still teasing, but there was almost a hint of playfulness. It made her stomach do odd flip-flops and flutters.

Katara shifted her hand slightly on his abdomen. The toned muscle flexed at her touch. "You haven't pushed me away," she observed.

His fingers dug a little more into her hips. "You haven't exactly tried to free yourself."

Blood pounded in her ears. As if his words had triggered something, she let her hand move higher, passing over his ribcage, the hard contours of his chest, until she was brushing his jaw. He inhaled sharply. She tilted his face down, pulling back just enough so she could see the gold colour of his eyes.

"Katara."

The way he said her name made the flutters in her stomach increase like a pleasant storm of wings. Low, raspy, yet so, so soft. It was a warning and a plea. It made her feel powerful in a way that even his weakened firebending couldn't.

She played with the damp tips of his hair. "Are you going to push me away?"

Her voice sounded strange. A little too husky. A little too _something_. His gaze dropped to her mouth. For some reason that made her want to moisten her bottom lip; made her want to lean up on her tiptoes and part her lips just so. He noticed the motion and dipped his head—not enough. It was an aching eternity. Anticipation, desire, frustration; it all curled within her, making her yearn for the distance to disappear. They were so close. Practically sharing breath.

"You," he murmured, lips ghosting over her own yet still not quite touching. "You just love to test me, don't you?"

She didn't get a chance to respond. His mouth brushed hers, soft and a little clumsy. The contact made something sigh within her. She let her fingers slip through his hair, curling into the thick strands. Neither of them really knew what they were doing; that much was obvious. Maybe he'd never kissed someone before. Maybe he was just as inexperienced as her, but still they tried to find their way. It was either that or stop.

As if either of them could do that.

Her breath caught when he pulled her closer. One of his hands skimmed along her back, caressing her neck as he angled her head more to his liking. Their lips slanted and brushed against each other: gently, insistently, parting a little more each time. She could hear her fragmented breathing, feel the way his chest rose and fell against hers. It was a rush of feelings and pulses and heartbeats. It made her feel like she was slipping away, like all that existed in that moment was the thudding of her blood and the whispers of instinct that told her to get even closer.

To taste him in velvet caresses.

To touch.

She leaned forward, putting her weight into the kiss so that he had to pull her down with him to their knees or risk stumbling backwards. It was easier to get closer now; easier to press on his shoulders until his back hit the ground, water lapping at his skin. His chest rose and fell quickly. She pulled back to lean over him, unbound hair falling around them like a curtain. His lips were swollen and his eyes dark, swallowed in pools of black. She probably looked the same.

Zuko curled his hand around her neck and pulled her down, kissing her deeply. There was nothing clumsy about the kiss now. They'd found their rhythm. Her hands trailed down his chest, tracing the toned contours, delighting in the little ways he flexed and shivered at the contact. It really did make her feel powerful. Or it had. Suddenly, he rolled them over, pressing her into the shallow water that lapped at the bank. She inhaled a shaky breath. His mouth left hers, but only to trace kisses on her jaw, the fluttering pulse on his neck. She arched into him and a soft sound escaped his lips. It felt so good.

"Zuko."

His name escaped her before she could stop it. He stilled, mouth just barely touching her throat. She could feel his arousal.

Neither of them moved.

Katara swallowed. Her body was thrumming, every inch of her hyperaware of this boy's touch and presence. He remained poised above her, so still it was like he had become a statue. It was another aching moment of eternity: of anticipation and nervousness and hot, heady desire.

Was he going to pull away? Did she want him to?

She felt something tickle her arm that was not water. Her brow creased and she glanced down. Her eyes widened. "Zu—"

It was all she managed before he let out a yelp and scrambled off her, though he did tug her up with him so they were both standing. At least that was something. Not that she had needed his help.

"It's just a porcupine-eel," she said.

Sure, the slithery, spiny creature circling near their feet had taken her by surprise, but Zuko's reaction was on a whole new level. Not that he seemed to care that he had just embarrassed himself. Instead, he twisted his lips and pointed a finger at the porcupine-eel.

"That thing is stalking me!" he accused.

Katara covered her mouth to try smothering laughter. "Try" being the keyword. He could be so adorable sometimes.

"I hardly think the porcupine-eel is stalking you, Zuko," she said in a voice that quivered with amusement.

The prince flushed, but he also wasn't willing to back down. "Then why did it follow me all the way here?" he demanded, folding his arms across his chest. "It clearly has a vendetta against me."

Katara didn't know if it was the way his bottom lip jutted into a pout or if it was because he seemed to sincerely believe the porcupine-eel was out to get to him; either way, she burst out laughing. Zuko narrowed his eyes, but she just gripped his arm, trying to hold herself up as she gasped for breath.

"Y-you—" she said between giggles "—you should see your face."

Zuko's frown deepened. This set her off even more, but then he huffily told her to shut up (which didn't work) and started stomping away (which did). She quickly sobered and tugged on his hand.

"Sorry," she said. "I won't tease you anymore."

His cheeks darkened. The pout lingered on his lips (far, far too cute). She bit her cheek to stop her giggles, then used her bending to scoop the porcupine-eel up in a ball of water and deposit the creature back into the river.

"There," she said, turning back to Zuko with a smile. "It's gone."

Unfortunately, it had also taken the mood with it. Katara wondered if she could rekindle that spark of passion between them, maybe trace her finger along his chest and say something flirty.

_Now then, where were we?_

Yeah. That could work.

Except it seemed it was the universe, not the porcupine-eel, that wanted to kill any hope of further kisses between her and Zuko. She had barely touched his chest before something flickered out the corner of her eye. Katara shoved the prince back and summoned a wall of water from the river, thrusting her hands forward to create a barrier of ice and stop the barrage of knives and shuriken. Masked ninjas appeared from out of nowhere, crowding in on her and Zuko in a black swarm.

Katara narrowed her eyes. "You," she began in a low growl. "Couldn't you have just _waited_?"

Without giving them a chance to respond, she lashed out with her bending, firing off discs of razor-sharp ice. The ninjas ducked and slashed at her attack with their katanas, though some were not so lucky. The few that managed to get close were soon plucked off the ground by tentacles of water and tossed backwards like unwanted ragdolls.

Katara huffed and flicked her hair over her shoulder, giant tentacles streaming around her in a perfect octopus form. Next to her, Zuko just stared in a mixture of surprise and awe. Damn straight he and everyone else had better recognise. Not for nothing was she called a master waterbender.

"You're going to regret annoying me today," Katara said, glaring at the ninjas. "Last time I only had a bit of water, but now I have a whole river at my disposal. You don't stand a chance!"

And indeed they did not. She made short work of all of them, unleashing her bending in the vicious attack of a girl who has been denied satisfaction and a moment alone with the boy she fancied. The ninjas were soon wiped out, leaving her and Zuko as the only ones standing. He tilted his head as he surveyed the carnage she had created.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," he murmured.

Katara glanced at him just in time to catch his smile. She blushed. There was no mistaking the admiration his eyes.

"You—" she began.

The ground rumbled. A masked figure dressed in a green robe and a conical hat burst forth, dragon mask glinting in the sun. Three ninjas popped out from behind him.

"Are you kidding me?" Katara demanded.

Dragon laughed. "I suppose you thought you could escape, but all these—"

Katara didn't let him finish. She swung her arms in a half-circle and knocked him over with a powerful jet of water. Zuko brushed past her and went to join the fray, taking down one of the ninjas so he could steal the man's sword, and engaging the other two in battle. Now she could just focus on the earthbender.

Dragon tried to trap her in a cage of rock, but she had seen Toph do the stance enough to anticipate the move. Instead, she created a slide for herself and surfed towards him, summoning more and more water until he was frozen up to his neck inside a solid block of ice. A smug smile tugged at her lips. An earthbender was useless if he couldn't move his arms and legs. Dragon, of course, struggled anyway.

"You little b—"

Katara got right up in his face. "Do you really want to continue that sentence?"

He audibly gulped and shook his head.

She beamed and stepped back. Not far from her, Zuko incapacitated the last of the ninjas. He walked over to stand next to her, katana still in hand. A crease formed on his brow as he stared at Dragon.

"What should we do with him?" Zuko asked.

Katara liked the fact he asked her. It was a far cry from his behaviour inside the ninjas' fortress.

She reached to remove the earthbender's hat and mask, revealing a good-looking enough man who looked to be in his late thirties. He glared at her, but Katara was unmoved. Instead, she smiled sweetly and told him that it was time for him to make himself useful.

"You and your ninjas are the ones who dragged us out here to the middle of nowhere," she said. "We need to get back to Ba Sing Se. You're going to help us get there."

Dragon did not seem happy with this plan, but it wasn't as if he had a choice. No one messed with a master waterbender on her own turf. Victory was hers.

oOo

Katara smiled and stretched her arms above her head. After commandeering two of the ninjas' clothes, she and Zuko (with the assistance of a very reluctant Dragon) had returned to Ba Sing Se through the tunnels he had created to connect from the city to his fortress. It turned out Dragon—or Peng, as was his actual name—was a petty noble who had been forced out of the city thanks to Long Feng and the Dai Li. He'd been plotting his revenge for years, hoping to stage a coup and take over as ruler. The same old villain plot, really.

In any case, thanks to Zuko and Katara's efforts, the plan had been stopped, Peng was arrested, and the new Dai Li were alerted of the ninjas' fortress so they could clean up the rest. All was well again.

Well, almost.

Katara turned to the prince. "You know, you never did tell me what you were doing in Ba Sing Se."

She really hoped it wasn't because he had stalked Aang all the way here and had been plotting evil things. Not even her newfound liking for him could salvage that excuse.

Zuko rubbed the base of his neck and a few splotches of colour formed on his cheeks. "Uh, about that. It's really not what you think."

"What do you mean?"

His blush spread, reaching the tips of his ears. "Truth is, my uncle and I are just here as refugees. I'm, uh, a tea server."

Katara blinked. Then she blinked some more. "A tea server," she repeated.

"Yeah." He shrugged. "Uncle likes tea. It just … happened that way."

A snort escaped her lips. "Wow. You're right, Zuko. I really wasn't expecting that."

But it did make her relieved. In fact, she inched a little closer, pressing one hand to his chest as she raised her eyes to his face.

"Does that mean you're not chasing Aang now?" she asked, not quite able to hide the hopefulness from her voice.

He swallowed. "Something like that."

That was all Katara needed. She leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

"Then how about you show me to this tea shop of yours?" she suggested. "I'm pretty parched after all that walking."

Zuko's mouth curved into a lop-sided smile. His hand found hers, making the matching metal cuffs around their wrists clink together. Side-by-side, they walked through the Upper Ring to the elegant tea shop where he had made his new life. Katara had to admit that maybe pissing off those ninjas hadn't been such a bad idea after all.

She could really get used to being close to Zuko.

oOo

oOo

**OMAKE**

"Hey, Zuko."

"Mm?"

"What actually happened to your bending?"

"…"

oOo

oOo

THE END


End file.
